Who Should Teach Our Children, Believe All Women, What is a Woman?

"The truth is, part of me is every age. I’m a three-year-old, I’m a five-year-old, I’m a thirty-seven-year-old, I’m a fifty-year-old. I’ve been through all of them, and I know what it’s like. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own."
— Mitch Albom 

Easy like Sunday morning, how are you? Thank you for checking in; I’m happy to share some logic, thoughts, and ideas. Our last day in Indiana it’s been a quick trip; I got to see my family, and my wife hosted a baby shower for our daughter. She’s getting big; the baby will be here in less than 30 days; it’s a fun process to watch a baby develop; Bo Anson will be a wonderful young man.

I helped my wife and cousin get our house ready to host 30 or so. I invited my friend Dave, my dad, and Kevin out for drinks while the ladies played their games and unwrapped presents. We had a friendly chat, enjoyed some great food, and returned after the shower.

A few of the ladies hung out; once everyone left, our daughter came back over; we had some Greeks Pizza and played cards, then watched the basketball games.  I made it through the first game before falling asleep. I got 10 hours of sleep last night; I’m well-rested and ready to head to the airport and get back home number two.

The current political debate is about trans rights, and I thought I would try and frame each side to make sure I understand what the left and right are claiming. On the right, you have a group that does not believe that you should expose children under age eight to alternative lifestyles.  They would prefer children to be taught traditional values and, as they age, become exposed to alternatives.

The left believes that withholding information about alternative lifestyles to kids under the age of 8 attacks their ability to become who they want to be. They think it is OK to discuss sex with kids, and some even want to teach kids how to masturbate.

I was raised in the old school. I learned about sex in fourth grade and was horrified about the prospects of girls and their different parts. As I grew older, girls became something of interest, and by sixth grade, Lisa Reed and I were an item. We held hands but never kissed.  In 7th grade, I had a crush on a girl; in eighth grade, I had my first French kiss.

I had sex for the first time at 17; it was not good. But over time, I got better; it seemed like a natural progression of human development. I grew up in a small town where there were no gay people, and if there were gay people, we didn’t mention it. We had a couple of pedophiles; as a young person, you knew to stay away from “Jack.”

I think the root issue is who gets to teach your child. Do the parents take the lead, or is it up to the school system to educate your kids about all things life offers? As a father, I trusted our school system to teach my children math, English, and science while my wife and I focused on morals and values.  We did good, our daughter did not have sex until marriage, and I believe my son did the same.

I was raised in the church, so I took them to church when my kids were born. I think the church is suitable for kids, and it gives them a baseline of acceptable behavior. I remember one lesson from our pastor that focused on relationships between men and women. He shared that he would never be in the same room with a woman or get on an elevator alone with a woman to protect his integrity.

I thought he was crazy; you won’t get on an elevator alone with a woman? But at 52, I think it might be good advice. We live in a world where he said she said, and women should be believed no matter the circumstances. If a woman stated a man did something inappropriate, the man did something wrong.

There does seem to be a double standard depending on which political party you are affiliated with. When Bret Kavanaugh was being vetted for the Supreme Court, a woman claimed that 30 years before, he had been inappropriate, and the media pushed the story. The story had some problems, but many ran with it and said you must believe all women.

When Joe Biden was running for office, Tara Reid claimed the candidate assaulted her, but many in the media discounted her story. Even a clip of Tara’s mother calling into the Larry King show to discuss the issue, but that did not seem good enough. The standard, it seems, is if a Republican man is accused of inappropriate activity, believe the woman. If a Democrat is accused, believe the man.

In an exciting turn of events, it now seems Disney is trying to queer up their movies. Last week, there was a town hall where many of the Disney executives shared that they had inserted many queer ideas into the shows that now played on Disney Plus. One woman claimed one of her kids was pansexual, and the other was a transgender person, and she was trying to create content for kids born different. That’s fine, but this might be a problem if you are into traditional values. If I were a parent with young kids, I would screen every book, movie, and podcast to ensure that the content aligned with my belief system.

I am glad I don’t’ have young children, but my kids do, and I will talk to them about my concerns and help them protect their kids from content they disagree with. I think it is OK to expose kids to various lifestyles, but it needs to be age-appropriate. The days of sending your kids off to school and not worrying about the teachings is over. It’s up to the parents to find an educational system that aligns with their values and beliefs.  I’m happy to hear your thoughts if you disagree.

"The truth is, part of me is every age. I’m a three-year-old, I’m a five-year-old, I’m a thirty-seven-year-old, I’m a fifty-year-old. I’ve been through all of them, and I know what it’s like. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own."
— Mitch Albom